Nanotechnology innovation for hydrogen storage scoops Shell Springboard top award
Fri 08 April 2011
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An invention by Cella Energy which uses nanotechnology to store hydrogen safely in tiny micro-beads and then release it to fuel cars, lorries, ships or planes has been awarded the Shell Springboard 2011 top prize. Storing hydrogen in this way means that it can be safely transported in micro-bead form opening the door to it being available at petrol stations for consumers.
The hydrogen micro-bead technology is compatible with standard combustion engines and can either be used as an additive to conventional fuels where it would reduce carbon emissions, or on its own to make hydrogen gas creating zero-carbon vehicles.
Cella Energy received their award at a ceremony held at the Royal Society of Science in London. Their invention impressed a panel of judges (all current or former LowCVP Board members) which included leading climate change expert Lord Oxburgh, Professor Julia King, UK Low Carbon Business Advisor, and Greenpeace Chief Scientist Doug Parr. The LowCVP Managing Director Greg Archer was a judge of one of the three regional heats which produced the finalist nominations.
Cella Energy will receive and award of £40,000 which will enable the company to scale up the technology to an industrial level.
Vphase plc was named as the Shell Springboard runner up 2011 for its product which lowers and regulates household voltage use allowing customers to immediately cut their energy costs without changing their energy supplier or lifestyle.
The Vphase product reduces and manages the voltage coming into people’s homes, to ensure most electrical appliances use less electricity and cost less to run, in turn lowering carbon emissions. This reduction of domestic voltage can lead to a decrease in household electricity bills of between six to twelve per cent.
The three other finalists competing last night were:
Ashwoods Automotive Ltd (a LowCVP member), which has designed a product that regulates and lengthens the lifespan of electric car batteries, which can cost up to £50,000 each.
Cambridge Carbon Capture, which has created technology that captures and stores CO2 from the atmosphere. The product also produces CO2 free electricity in addition to carbonate which can be sold to the building industry.
Naked Energy Ltd, which has developed a solar panel which is able to generate both electricity and hot water in cool climates.
According to Shell Springboard's press release, the global market for low carbon goods and services is already worth over £3 trillion and is expected to exceed £4.5 trillion by 2015, with the UK market the sixth largest in the world. Nearly 200 small businesses from across the UK entered the Shell Springboard awards this year.
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